One in Six Billion Andrew Hattersley and Maggie Shepherd

In this special episode, we hear from Professor Sian Ellard who, like Andrew and Maggie, started in Exeter in 1995.  Sian set up the Exeter molecular genetics laboratory from scratch.  Through Sian’s leadership, this laboratory became world leading for both research and NHS diagnostic testing.

In this episode, Maggie and Andrew talk to Imran Bashir about the difficult journey he and his family have been on since his daughter was born without a pancreas.  They also hear from star scientist Dr Elisa De Franco about the long and challenging scientific journey to solve the genetic mystery of why her pancreas did not develop.

In this episode, Maggie and Andrew talk to Dr Elisa De Franco, the Exeter based genetic scientist whose research has discovered more genetic causes of diabetes than anyone else in the world.

In this special episode Andrew Hattersley talks with co-presenter Maggie Shepherd to identify what led to her joining the Exeter team in 1995 and ending up becoming the leading nurse for monogenic diabetes with a role combining clinical care, research and education 

In this episode, Maggie and Andrew start by talking to Carsyn Underwood and her mums Karla and Donna about Carsyn’s diagnosis of neonatal diabetes and how she got the right treatment very early and had an the excellent outcome as a result,.  
They go on to talk to Professor Tim McDonald, a top NHS laboratory scientist, who has been researching into how we can make sure everyone is diagnosed early by developing universal screening for neonatal diabetes in the first week of life.

In this episode, Maggie and Andrew talk to Dr Pam Bowman, the doctor scientist, whose research has greatly advanced our understanding of neonatal diabetes. Pam showed treatment with sulphonylurea tablets control the glucose excellently in the long term and she transformed our understanding of how thinking, and development are altered by the change in the potassium channel gene.